Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly Vương Đình Huệ is welcomed at Ministro Pistarini International Airport in Buenos Aires, Argentina on Sunday. — VNA/VNS Photo Doãn Tấn

BUENOS AIRES — Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly Vương Đình Huệ and a high-ranking delegation of the NA arrived at Ministro Pistarini International Airport in Buenos Aires on Sunday afternoon (local time), beginning an official visit to Argentina.

The delegation was welcomed at the airport by Cecilia Todesca Bocco, Secretary for International Economic Relations at the Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship; President of the Argentina-Việt Nam Friendship Parliamentarians Group Maria Rose Martinez; Vietnamese Ambassador to Argentina and Uruguay Dương Quốc Thanh; and staff of the Vietnamese Embassy in Argentina.

Huệ and the Vietnamese NA’s high-ranking delegation laid a wreath at the Hồ Chí Minh Monument in Buenos Aires the same day.

Head of the NA’s Committee for External Relations Vũ Hải Hà said the NA of Việt Nam and the Chamber of Deputies of Argentina are set to sign a cooperation agreement during the visit, aiming to intensify parliamentary relations and the countries’ comprehensive partnership at large.

On the basis of the traditional friendship, the visit is expected to elevate and further enhance parliamentary cooperation.

Talking to the press prior to the visit, Hà noted the two sides will discuss measures to promote the comprehensive partnership, especially in the fields Argentina is strong at such as agriculture, the industry serving agricultural production, renewable energy, and the material industry.

They will sign a cooperation deal to strengthen ties between the two parliaments, thus contributing to the comprehensive partnership, he said.

Ha went on to say that the NA Chairman will also deliver a policy speech at Argentina’s Foreign Ministry. The speech will provide information about Việt Nam’s foreign policy and the policy towards Latin America in general and Argentina in particular.

During the ongoing visit, NA Chairman Huệ is also scheduled to hold talks and meet with senior leaders of Argentina; attend a business forum; visit the Vietnamese Embassy and meet with representatives of the Vietnamese community in Argentina.

The top legislator will also witness the signing of cooperation agreements between ministries, sectors and localities of the two countries.

As the two nations have fully opened their doors and stepped up economic recovery and development, NA Chairman Huệ’s visit, which takes place at a time when Việt Nam and Argentina are celebrating the 50th founding anniversary of diplomatic relations, aims to strengthen the traditional friendship and solidarity between Việt Nam and Argentina as well as Latin American nations in general, promote the possibility of launching negotiations on a free trade agreement between Việt Nam and the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR), and start a journey to follow the footsteps of Uncle Hồ as Buenos Aires was his stopover in 1912 when he left Nhà Rồng (Dragon) Wharf in 1911.

The visit is hoped to contribute to promoting and consolidating the traditional friendship and solidarity, and mutual support between Việt Nam and Argentina; and strengthening cooperative ties between the two parliaments, thus enhancing the Việt Nam-Argentina comprehensive partnership in a more practical and effective way. — VNS